SOPA & PIPA: Helping to Stop Piracy or Just Trying to Censor the Internet?

Today is January 18th 2012, and the internet has gone dark. All over the world-wide web, popular websites have blocked out their content in protest. The reason? Right now there are two pieces of legislation would potentially hurt and halt the internet as we know it. They are called SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) and PIPA (Protect IP Act). Many internet companies say that there is something fishy about these acts, and it might be about censoring the internet. While other media companies such as Time Warner says that these bills are necessary to protect their content.

It seems that there are two sides to this story. My two cents about this issue is that, well…I understand where media companies come from, there are problems with piracy that do needs to be addressed. I also believe that SOPA and PIPA is an excuse for the American Government and others to try to take the piss and censor the internet. I am currently watching CNN news, whose parent company Time Warner is actually backing these bills. I have always been a form believer in Freedom of Speech, I believe it exists and everyone has a right to say what ever they want. It is their opinion, you can not censor that. I also believe that if they try to censor the internet, the US Congress is breach of the US constitution which states,

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

If they are willing to breach this amendment, why not do the same with the Second Amendment, which states that all have a right to bear arms. It would really help with all of the gun-related crimes that are happening all over the country.

Yes Stop Piracy, companies do have a right to protect their content, but do not Censor the internet, there will be retaliation if it happens. This is just a stepping stone to creating an Anarchistic society. especially if the US congress is doing this for profit. Yes once again the topic of money has flown across my mind. Isn’t that what it all comes down to? Dollars and Cents? I am going to stop there before I fly into a whole ‘why money is destroying us’ rant. Its true, I know it, you know it and yet we ignore it because we need it to live and survive.

Back to these Acts, Once again I say Yes, piracy is bad, but don’t take the mick ( or to Americans don’t try to take advantage) and censor the internet. We have tried so hard and worked so long to get this far technology wise, and it seems that every time we take two steps forward, someone has to make a big deal about it and want us to take three steps back. New Media has created jobs for many people, getting rid of that will put people out of work ( after all we are in a recession and there are enough unemployed people around to last a life time. We don’t need any more).

To find out more about SOPA & PIPA Just google SOPA or PIPA and follow the # tag #SOPA on twitter to follow the topic in real-time.